Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/68

 

1609—1640.

two years after the settlement of Jamestown, and nearly at the same point of time that Champlain was making explorations in northern New York, a famous navigator, named Henry Hudson, entered the service of the Dutch East India Company. He was by birth an Englishman, and an intimate friend of the illustrious Captain John Smith. He had already made two voyages in the employ of London merchants, in search of a north-west passage to India, but not meeting sufficient encouragement at home, he went to Holland, and, early in April, 1609, was placed in command of a small vessel of eighty tons' burden, called the Half-Moon, for a third voyage. Impeded by the ice in the northern seas, he ran along the coast of Acadie, entered Penobscot Bay, made the land of Cape Cod, entered the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, and on the 2d of September discovered and entered Sandy Hook Bay. On the 11th, he passed through the Narrows, and on the 12th began his voyage up that noble river which now justly perpetuates his fame, pronouncing the country along the river's banks "as beautiful a land as one can tread upon." Hudson ascended the river with his ship as far as where the present city of Albany stands, and thence sent a boat which probably explored somewhat beyond Waterford. Mr. Hildreth stigmatizes Hudson's conduct towards the natives on several occasions, as marked by "reckless cruelty," which is hardly borne out, we think, by the facts on record. Descending the river, Hudson, on the 4th of October, set sail for home, and in little more than a month 